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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 4675153" data-attributes="member: 20323">Thanks for this thread. Since I have a time limit on my skill challenges, I let the PCs know that it's a skill challenge with X turns in it. That's it, the rest is role-playing using my notes as a reference.I've read Mearls' article and the awesome Obsidian system Travis developed on these boards, and skill challenges seem...well...simple.I'm considering the following rules with my skill challenges, which I think will change how I narrate them. PCs always have an incentive to take action: As with the Obsidian system I always impose a maximum # of turns a skill challenge lasts. There is a push for everyone to get involved and the sense of urgency mostly washes over the worry about hurting the party is the standard successes before failures apporach in the DMG.Consequences for skill check failures: Costs gold or a healing surge, combat results, inconvenience later on, make an enemy, close use of another skill, etc. Not every failure has to have a cost, but a couple makes it more  interesting - note that these don't unfavorably affect the rest of the skill challenge.Increase the "complexity" of skill terrain: I think the best format for describing my vision for a skill challenge is a map of connected skills - some open new ones, others close skills, others you can opt to increase the DC for an extra result. This takes more upfront work and is comparable to designing a small dungeon.</blockquote>

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